Client: Great Places Housing Association
Type of works: supply and installation of Marley's fibre-cement Cedral Weatherboard as an over-clad solution.

Fibre-cement Cedral Weatherboard from Marley has been specified as an over-clad solution on over 400 housing association properties in Sheffield.

Built in the 1960’s, the Reema concrete-panel buildings lacked insulation and the surface of the concrete panels had also begun to deteriorate.

The over-clad solution involved mechanically fixing 50mm of rigid foam insulation (0.021W/mK) to the exterior of the Reema panels to improve the thermal performance of the properties. The insulation was then rendered before a combination of Cedral Weatherboard over-clad and brick-slips were applied. The Cedral Weatherboard was nailed to timber battens in a shiplap configuration to create a robust and durable rainscreen cladding.

Fibre-cement Cedral Weatherboard was specified by Great Places Housing Association because it offered a lightweight, cost-effective over-clad solution that masked the original concrete panels, helping to visually transform the properties.

The client chose fibre-cement Cedral Weatherboard because, unlike timber, it does not warp or shrink, making it an excellent long-term low-maintenance solution.

The Cedral Weatherboard was supplied in Ochre, Cevennes Green, Lilac Blue, Oriental Green and Dark Grey colours to create feature panels around windows and doors. The colours were selected to complement the alternative shades of render used on the properties.

“The Cedral weatherboard proved to be a very cost-effective and practical method of over cladding the properties at Richmond Park,” said Frederick Crawshaw, Development Officer at Great Places Housing Association. “Although structurally sound, the properties were built without any form of insulation and we therefore took the opportunity to improve thermal performance by adding insulation. We then over clad this with a mix of Cedral Weatherboard, coloured render and brick slips.”

More clients are choosing an over-clad solution using Marley fibre-cement products because it is much more cost effective than demolishing and re-building. An over-clad solution also means much less inconvenience for building users as it can usually remain occupied during the work.

As one of the residents at Richmond Park explained: “We are delighted with the refurbishment as it has made our house look brand new and should help us save money on our heating bills. The fact that we didn’t have to move out during the work meant that there was minimal inconvenience.”

Cedral Weatherboard is available in a range of 22 colours and four woodstains with a matching range of aluminium trims.

For more information on Cedral Weatherboard, telephone (01283) 722588, or email: cladding@marleyeternit.co.uk. Alternatively, visit the website at www.marleyeternit.co.uk/cladding